“Gratitude can transform common days into thanksgivings,

turn routine jobs into joy, and change ordinary opportunities into blessings.”

~William Arthur Ward

I think we can all agree that this year has been stressful.  Between Covid, the election, the unrest and division in our nation, we can’t turn on the news or pick up a newspaper without being overwhelmed by the “stuff” we’re facing.  Add to it our own personal situations, whether it’s illness, financial difficulties, family situations or some internal issue that we are wrestling with and we just might feel as if it’s all too much.  Our prayer lists are getting longer and longer by the day.  Some days, we don’t even know what to pray.

And if you happen to be a natural born pessimist, it all seems heavier.  I have to admit that for years, that was me.  And sometimes, I still fall into that trap of complaining or seeing the negative in the situations.  Over time, God has gently worked on me, directing me away from the negative and pointing me toward the positive, though I realize I still have a way to go. One of the things I’ve learned is that being thankful puts it all into perspective.

The Bible has a great deal to say about being thankful.  Some examples include:

I Thessalonians 5:17-18 – rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Ephesians 5:20 – Always give thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus

Colossians 4:2 – devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful

Philippians 4:6 – Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.

Psalm 100:4 – Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise, give thanks to Him and bless His Name

Psalm 106:1 – Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, His love endures forever.

In fact, the Psalms are full of verses on Thanksgiving, many of which King David wrote when he was in a difficult place.

Nehemiah 12 even speaks of men being assigned to sing songs of thanksgiving.   Can you imagine?  A company of warriors whose assignment is to sing songs of praise and thanksgiving to God.  That should tell us how important thanksgiving is to God and to our own well-being.

Bill Johnson said in one of his sermons that “Complaining empowers the inferior to undermine your faith.  When we complain, we are being more mindful of the problem than the goodness of God.”  He goes on to say that “Joy is a choice.  It’s a choice to surrender to God and let His glory and presence fill you.”

It isn’t easy, especially if we happen to be someone who is a born-negative or we’ve gotten used to focusing more on the problems than on the blessings.  One thing that I have learned to do that has helped me is to keep a list of blessings and make sure it’s longer and stronger than my list of needs and problems.  Often my thanksgiving list includes the obvious – food, clothing, a roof over my head, my family, the beauty of God’s creation.  But it also includes praise for past healing, areas the Lord has been faithful in the past, even instances where He has saved me from my own foolishness.  Those praises help me to believe for God’s faithfulness in my current situations.  We have a prayer list; we should also have a thanksgiving list.

We also need to pray from heavenly places, not out of our need.  Yes, we pray about our needs, but we should be doing it from a place of victory.  Our prayer should sound something like “Lord, this is the need, but you are greater than the need.  You have already won the victory and you have given us authority.  I praise You for your faithfulness.”

Thankfulness helps us to stay focused in our prayers.  It keeps it about Him and not about the problem.

So, my suggestion, sit down and make a list of things for which you are thankful.  Read it aloud to the Lord.  Lift those praises to God and see the difference it makes.